


Consequence of Life

by msraven



Series: Consequences [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Curtain Fic, M/M, Vampire!Phil, Werewolf!Clint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-20 10:30:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1507241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msraven/pseuds/msraven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Because you tend to be more careful with things you have a say in choosing and you're my mate, not just my bonded partner. These are things that people who choose a life together are supposed to do, Clint.</i>
</p><p>Building a life together isn't always about hearts and flowers. Sometimes, it's about forgiveness and furniture shopping. </p><p>Part of my Consequences 'verse and a fill for the curtain fic square on my trope_bingo card.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consequence of Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gwynhefar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwynhefar/gifts), [kultiras](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kultiras/gifts).



> Written quickly and unbeta'd because I'm a horrible procrastinator and was already late for one birthday.
> 
> Gwyn - I still credit you with bringing me fully into this fandom. ♥ I honestly don't think I would have come as far without your initial support of my work. I also would not have attempted a werewolf!Clint fic if not for your lovely [The Strength of the Wolf](http://archiveofourown.org/works/448860). Happy Birthday!!
> 
> Kultiras - I am constantly grateful for having met you, my brain twin. Thank you for always being such a wonderful sounding board and an amazing beta. My work would be nothing without you. I hope this is fluffy enough per your request. Happy Belated Birthday!! ♥

"Clint, no!" Phil yells, but the wolf pays him no attention as he jumps happily onto the bed.

The bed, no longer able to hold the weight of the large werewolf, gives a last groan and collapses. Clint leaps off the bed with a yelp and hides behind Phil, which would be comical in any other situation considering that Clint is already several inches taller than his vampire partner. When the dust settles, there is nothing left but the mattress and a pile of splintered wood. 

Phil turns to look at Clint, who whines and edges backward away from the force of his glare. His rear hits the corner and the wolf flattens himself on the floor with another whine.

"What have I told you about jumping on the furniture when you're a wolf?" Phil asks angrily. "You are not a puppy anymore, Clint. If you can't behave then you can sleep in the kennels. Do you have any idea how long I've had that bed?"

There are three loud knocks on the door and Phil looks over just as Natasha is flinging it open. "Clint! Phil! We heard a crash."

Before Phil can react, Clint runs out of the door, knocking Natasha into Fury in his haste to escape. Natasha makes a grab for Clint, but it's no use.

"Clint! Wait!"

The two agents turn to Phil when he makes no move to stop the marksman from running.

"Phil? What happened?"

Phil waves to the remains of his bed, shoulders drooping with a sigh as his anger fades. "Clint happened."

"You've had that bed for nearly a century," Nick reminds him unnecessarily. 

"Did you hit him?" Natasha accuses, eyes going red and the tips of her fangs starting to emerge.

"No! Of course not. I would never hit Clint."

Natasha relaxes and Phil is very glad he's never incurred her wrath. "I'll go find him," she offers, but Phil shakes his head.

"No. He'll come back when he thinks I've cooled off. Could you two maybe just help me clean this up?"

It doesn't take them long to separate the mattress from the ruined bed and Fury calls the janitorial staff to help haul off the pieces of wood, much to Phil's embarrassment. He knows that the news of the broken bed will spread like wildfire through the base. Phil predicts that by lunchtime, the tale will have been embellished to include raucous sex instead of an excited puppy.

Thought of Clint have Phil frowning at the open door. It's been over an hour and he still hasn't returned.

"Are you sure we shouldn't go looking for him?"

"I'm sure," Phil answers. "As big as he is, Clint won't be found if he doesn't want to be. He'll be back soon."

Natasha still looks concerned, but she bids Phil goodnight as she leaves with Fury. Phil puts fresh sheets on the mattress that is now sitting on the floor and gets ready for bed. Clint still isn't back by the time Phil slips underneath the blankets and he leaves the door unlocked, but closed. Phil closes his eyes, confident that Clint will be slinking in soon to join him.

Phil wakes the next morning feeling cold and tired after a restless night of sleep. It's not until he blinks his eyes open that Phil realizes that Clint never came back. A shiver of fear runs through him—they haven't spent a night apart since Phil became Clint's master and trainer. He dresses quickly, searching all of Clint's usual hiding spots to no avail. 

With no other option, Phil reaches inside him, channeling his magic to search for Clint through their bond. Although Phil had not been present after Clint's transformation, the were had still chosen Phil and the bond had proven as strong, if not stronger, than any other wolf-master imprinting. Phil is shocked when the bond directs him to the kennels. 

Phil enters the dilapidated building warily, eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light. The kennels, once used to house lone wolves—wolves without an imprinted master and deemed too violent to be tamed during a full moon—are now in a bad state of disrepair. Phil looks around at the blood-stained walls and silver chains still bolted to the floor and is filled with an absurd burst of gratitude that Clint had not become lone.

"Clint?" Phil calls out, walking to the back corner of the room where his vampire senses can pick up Clint's breathing. 

Phil is concerned, but not surprised, to find that Clint is still in wolf form, huddled in a dark corner with his eyes looking pathetically sad at Phil. It's not the first time that Clint has chosen his more primitive form when upset. Phil had been severely injured a few months back and Clint had stayed a wolf for nearly two weeks until Phil had left Medical.

Instead of trying to coax him out of hiding, Phil walks over and sits on the dirty floor next to the wolf. Clint whines, but leans into Phil as if unable to stop himself. Phil wraps his arms around Clint in relief and buries his face in the wolf's fur, still damp from the morning frost. 

"I didn't actually mean for you to sleep in the kennels."

Clint burrows his snout into Phil's chest with a snuffle.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, but you can't keep acting like a puppy anymore. You're already larger than most fully-grown weres. I may be able to take your enthusiasm, but not everything can. The bed last night proved that." Phil pulls back to look Clint in the eye. "Will you promise to be more careful if I promise to keep a better reign on my temper?"

Clint nods and licks Phil jaw. For once, Phil doesn't protest.

~^~

"Up. Time to get up," Phil prods.

Clint stretches and looks up at the alarm clock. "Why? It's our day off. We deserve to sleep in until at least noon. Or you know, do other things in bed until noon."

Clint stretches again, putting his gloriously naked body on full display and Phil nearly gives in.

"No. Up. I want to hit at least four stores today."

"Stores?" 

"Furniture stores. We need to find a new bed."

"What? No…" Clint whines, trying to throw the blanket over his head. "I don't want to go furniture shopping."

"Neither do I," Phil responds, yanking the blankets off Clint and off the mattress completely. "But _someone_ broke our last one and I'm tired of sleeping on the floor."

"Why do I have to go?"

"Because you tend to be more careful with things you have a say in choosing and you're my mate, not just my bonded partner. These are things that people who choose a life together are supposed to do, Clint."

Clint sits up, eyes going wide with surprised happiness before they soften and he ducks his head bashfully. "Okay. When you put it that way… shopping with my mate sounds like fun."

Phil really can't be blamed for tackling Clint onto the mattress and making them take another hour before they can leave base.

~^~

It's clear after the first store that Phil's assumptions of what kind of bed Clint would like are wrong. Clint is drawn much more towards sturdier wooden frames as opposed to the modern metal structures Phil had been expecting. It fits much more with Phil's own style, so he alters their plans and they visit stores that sell antiques alongside newly built pieces.

Considering his earlier reluctance, Clint is being frustratingly picky about the beds they look at. He inspects them all closely, but continues to find fault with each one. Phil's patience is wearing dangerously thin when they hit one last store and find the perfect bed.

The bed is made from raw wood, polished to shine, but giving the sleepers a feeling of being cradled within the branches of a real tree. Phil knows from Clint's sharp intake of breath that they've found their new bed. It's more than a little over-the-top for their quarters on base, but Phil can easily imagine nestled together as they look up at the canopy of branches.

"We'll take this one," Phil says to the salesman.

"I'm sorry gentlemen, but this one has already been sold. I can, however, direct you to the artist who made it."

"That would be great. Thank you," Phil agrees, smiling fondly as Clint beams.

~^~

They meet with the artist the next afternoon and make arrangements for another, similar bed to be delivered in about a month's time. Clint is positively ecstatic about their purchase, but something still feels off to Phil. It's not until he's alone in their quarters while Clint is at the range that Phil understand why. It takes him another few weeks to resolve it.

On their next weekend off, Phil bundles Clint into Lola, handing him a thermos of coffee to ward off the complaints of getting up early once again. They drive through and out of the city, while Clint looks around curiously. He keeps shooting Phil inquisitive looks, but doesn't ask where they're going, sensing that this is a surprise worth waiting for.

Clint sits forward in his seat when Phil turns into the long drive lined with trees and pulls up in front of the large, brick house. 

"Phil?" Clint finally asks, but Phil shakes his head and gets out of the car. Clint does the same and Phil takes his hand to lead him to the front door.

Clint's eyes go wide when Phil pulls keys out of the pocket to open door. Phil only smiles and pushes the door open. Inside, the house is musty from being boarded up for so long, with dust covers still covering everything in sight. Clint sniffs the air and turns to Phil with a questioning tilt of his head.

"It smells like you."

"That's because it is me—mine. I lived here before I joined SHIELD and moved to base. I couldn't bear to sell it." Phil tugs on Clint's hand. "Come on. There's something I want to show you."

Phil leads Clint upstairs to the master bedroom, the one room in the house that's been cleaned of dust. In the center of the room sits their new bed, the open windows highlighting it's beauty while the light breeze chases away the last traces of the house's long slumber. 

"Phil. What…?"

"I could see us in the new bed, but I couldn't see it on base. I changed the deed for the property to both our names last week. We're still fairly close to HQ, there are acres for you to roam in, and I thought… I'd like for us to live here, if _you'd_ like to."

"If I'd like? Phil…" Clint suddenly seems at a loss for words and he pulls Phil in for a fierce kiss. "Of course, I'd like. I can't believe you bought me a house."

"Technically, I already owned it," Phil smirks, but is unable to hide his pleasure at making Clint so happy. "I wanted to give this to you. Happy wolf day, Clint."

Clint blinks and Phil smiles at his surprise. He'd guessed correctly that Clint wouldn't remember that it's been one year, to the day, since he became a were. 

"I love you, Clint, and I'm so very glad to be spending the rest of eternity with you."

Clint pulls him in for another kiss and it's a long time before they part. Phil walks Clint over to one of the windows to look out over the property he now partially owns. 

"I've had caretakers watching the property, but there are probably a ton of things to be repaired and renovated. I didn't want to start on anything without you."

"It sounds amazing. You need to show me everything, but first…" Clint smile coyly and pulls Phil toward the bed by his belt. "I think I need to show my proper appreciation by making use of our new bed."

Phil follows eagerly and is soon glad that they'd requested the artist to design the bed somewhat sturdier than his normal pieces, able to withstand Clint's, at least human, exuberance in bed. They spend the rest of the morning christening the new bed and the new house before exploring the latest addition to their lives together.

~ _fin_ ~


End file.
